Non-refillable bottle



No. 622,6!2. ,Y Patemed Apr'. 4, |1399. L. EWBANK. .ww-REFILLABLE umlz.

(Application filed Aug. 29, 1898.)

. (No Model.)

elk/komma UNITED STATES PATENT Errori. l

ERNEST L. EIVBANK, OF I-IENDERSONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OF TIVO'THIRDS TO VILLIAM B. I-IALLET, OF SPARTANBURG, AND J. L. TRIBBLE, OF ANDERSON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,612, dated April 4, 1899. Application iiled August 29, 1898. Serial No. 689,768. (No model.)

T @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST L. EWBANK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hendersonville, in the county of Henderson and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Non- Refillable Bottles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable 1o others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in bottles and jugs and means for stoppering the same in such a manner that the stopper 1 5 cannot be removed from the said bottle or j ug after being once fully inserted without so changing the appearance of the vessel as to show that the said stopper has been removed.

The object of my invention is to prevent 2o fraud in refilling .the vessels with spurious liquids and selling the bottles so refilled as genuine, to the injury of the original manufacturer of the genuine contents.

My invention will be understood' by referi ence to the accompanying drawing, wherein is represented a central longitudinal section through a bottle-neck tted with a stopper constructed according to my invention. The neck of the bottle or jug is preferably 3o made thick, as seen at A, and at a point distant from the mouth thereof about equal to half the length of the stopper is provided with a deep surrounding groove a0, that portion of the neck of the bottle immediately 3 5 above such groove being made externally thicker, as shown at A0.

That portion of the interior of the neck of the bottle into which the stopper is to fit is made smooth and of approximately a uniform 4o diameter, although it may be preferable t0 have the same enlarged inwardly.

Within the neck of the bottle, in the thickened portion A0 thereof, is formed an annular groove a. This groove is located a short distance from and above the exterior annular groove a0, so that but a thin portion d',

extending around the neck of the bottle, separates these two grooves. The upper side of this annular groove eis made fiat and lies in 5o a plane at approximately right angles to the y ing.

interior surface of the stopper-seat, so as to j hold the stopper-lock, hereinafter described. The stopper used, as shown at B2, is provided with a central axial opening and is iitted with a central tube be, which projects slightly from 5 5 the upper end of the stopper and is exteriorly screwathreaded to receive a cap 197, as shown.

The stopper is locked in the neck ofthe bottle by a locking-cap C. This cap has a pair of depending legs c c', provided with oppo- 6o sitely-disposed catch-lugs c2 c2 upon their lower` or free ends adapted to engage in the annular groove ce in the bottle-neck above referred to. The locking cap O is provided with a central screw-threaded opening which 6 5 fits the screw-threaded end of the tube b and is applied to the stopper by being screwed down over the upper end of the said tube. The vscrew-threaded end of the said tube is long enough to receive the cap b7 after the 7o said tube passes through the locking-cap C. The tube ZJG is fitted with aplurality of valves bs, which open from opposite sides. The object of these valves is to cause the bottle to becomeclosed immediately upon being stood erect upon its bottom and to prevent the bottle being refilled, the cross-pins b9 serving as stops to limit the swing of the valves in open- The stopper is forced into the neck of the 8o bottle with the cap C thereon, and as forced inward the soft material' of the stopper will allow the said legs c c to spring inwardly somewhat; but as soon as the catch-lugs c2 c2 on said legs reach the interior groove on 'they 85 spring outwardly and engage in said groove, locking the stopper securely in the neck of the bottle. The stopper can then only be removed by breaking the neck of the bottle, which is done by means of some suitable in- 9o strumenti, such as the back of a knife, the line of strike being indicated by the arrow marked l.

The 'stopper shown is particularly adapted for use with bottles containing expensive liquids, such as perfumery, where it is desirable to use but a small portion of the liquid at one time and to avoidevaporation, but is also adapted for use with condiments-such as sauces, catsup, tc-which are discharged roo from the bottle in small quantities and at varying intervals of time, and the valves in the central tube prevent the adulteration of the original contents of the bottle.

After the bottle-neck is broken it is rendered useless as an original package for refilling; but the metallic locking-cap C and the stopper may, if desired, besaved and used upon other bottles. t

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. In abottle-stopper, the combination with a yielding plug having a central axial opening therethrough; a tube Iitting said opening and projecting beyond the upper end of said plug, the projecting end of said tube being externally screw-threaded aplurality of outwardly-opening valves in said tube; of a locking device consisting of a disk having a screwthreaded opening, screwed down over the screw-threaded portion of said tube upon said plug; and expanding lookin g-legs on said disk adapted to engage outwardly into a groove in the bottle-neck, substantially as described.

2. In a bottle-stopper, the combination with a yielding plug having a central axial opening therethrough; a tube Iitting said opening and projecting beyond the upper end of said plug, the projecting end of said tube being externally screw-threaded; a plurality of out-A wardly opening valves in said tube; and means for limiting the throw of said valves; of a locking device consisting of a disk having a central screw-threaded opening, screwed down over the said screw-threaded portion of said tube upon said plug; and spring-catches on said disk adapted to expand into grooves in the bottle-neck, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST L. EWBANK.

Witnesses:

T. T. HAY, W. B. VALENTINE. 

